1. Technical Field
A fluid mixer is disclosed which alters or changes the operation of an automated clamping mechanism depending on which bottom plate is selected for use by the operator. The bottom plate is selected based upon the type of container(s) holding the fluid product to be mixed. Specifically, different bottom plates are provided for a five gallon plastic bucket, one gallon metal cans, one gallon plastic jugs with rectangular bases, and various rectangular pans sized to accommodate a roller. Each plate includes recesse(s) or marking(s) to make it clear to the operator which type of container is to be used with each plate. Each plate has a tab, sensor activator or identifier which trips a sensor thereby sending a signal to the controller indicative of which type of container is being loaded into the mixer and the controller selects the appropriated clamp pressure, holding pressure, clamp motor current level and/or the distance the clamp plate travels after engaging the top(s) of the containers(s) to ensure the correct clamping force is exerted on the container or containers loaded into the mixer without crushing or damaging the container(s).
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types of fluids need to be mixed or blended into homogenous mixtures in the same containers in which they are sold to a consumer. One example of such in-container mixing results from colorants or pigments being added to base paints at a retail paint store or paint department of a home improvement store. The mixers or mixing machines may operate by vibration, roto-vibration, gyroscopic motion or rotational motion. The forces exerted on the containers during the mixing process are violent. To ensure that the container or containers stay in position during the violent mixing operation, various clamping mechanisms have been employed. Until recently, the amount of clamping force imposed on a container was not crucial as the containers were extremely rugged, e.g., a five gallon metal or plastic pail or a one gallon metal pail, and therefore difficult to damage by over clamping.
However, paint has become available in rectangular containers, giving rise to the need for paint mixers to blend colors for paint in such rectangular containers. One rectangular paint container has a handle molded into one corner for the painter's convenience in pouring paint from the container. Such rectangular paint container has a rectangular or square footprint or cross section. Another new type of container includes rectangular trays or trough-like buckets sized to receive a paint roller and pre-equipped with a screen or insert for engaging the roller. Smaller plastic cylindrical containers are also being used instead of the traditional metal cylindrical containers.
Most of the new types of containers are plastic and less robust than the older counterparts. Hence, an automatic clamping mechanism of a prior mixing machine is capable of crushing most, if not all, of the new types of containers. To avoid the problem of containers being crushed by the mixing machines, new and improved clamping mechanisms and automated clamping mechanisms are needed. Further, such clamping mechanisms must be versatile and capable of use on the various types of containers in the marketplace, both old and new, plastic, metal or combination plastic/metal, five gallon, one gallon, one and one half gallon, one quart and one pint sizes.